Railroad-gate



(No Model.)

W. D. CARPENTER. RAILROAD GATE.

No. 536,601. Patented Apr. 2, 1895'.

u n u n Ntra VSimfree FFICE@ WILLIAM G. VVADLEY, OF

ALLENTOW N, LOUISIANA.

RAILROAD-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,601, dated April 2,1895.

Application led Tulle 19, 1894-| Serial N0. 515,061. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIE DAWSON CAR- PENTER, a citizen of the United States, resid-d ing at Hearn, in the parish of Webster and State of Louisiana, have inventada new and useful Railroad-Gate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad gates, and to that class thereof designed to be located at crossings to prevent cattle from wanderin g upon the track, and op'- erated by the passing train.

The objects in View are to cheapen and simplify the construction of gate, to increase its eciency and positiveness of operation.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specitied and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a crosssection of a track and its supporting ties together with a gate embodying my invention arranged thereon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the spring-tread.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

The ties 1 support the usual rails 2, and projecting beyond the rails support pairs of posts 3 which rise therefrom and are located at the opposite sides of the track. The posts composing each pair are spaced apart and receive the outer ends of a pair of gates which extend laterally across and meet at the center of the track, resting on the rails thereof. These gates may be of any desired construction,butpreferably consist of frames 4 which are oblon g and covered by a suitable webbing 5 of reticulated wire. The outer, lower corners of the gates are provided with eyes 6, andA through these and the pairs of posts 3 are passed transverse bearing-pins or bolts 7. Thus it will be seen the gates are capable of swinging away from each other, and beyond the posts so as to permit of the passage of the train.

In order to prevent undue jarring and injury to thega'tes by reason of their impact upon the ties I locate in cavities 9 inline with the gates and with which each tie is provided are seated.

bottoms of the cavities, coiled springs 11 are seated. Each buffer is slotted, as indicated at 12, and passingtransversely throughthe slot and engaging the wall of each cavity, is

a limitingpin or bolt 13 which retains the buffer in position and permits the spring to force the same yieldingly above the surface of the tie.

The tie below the track is at each side of thersame provided with a chamber 14, and the ends of the chamber are provided with vertical openings 15 and 16. A lever 17 is pivoted between its ends at 18 in each chamber and terminates at'its ends below the passages 15 and 16. Links 19 are pivotally connected at 2O to the outer ends of the levers 17 and at their upper ends are pivotally connected at 21 to the lower bars of the gate.

Secured at their oppositeends to the inner sides or webs of the rails 2 at opposite lsides of the gate are arched spring-treads 22, consisting of resilient bars which at their centers are provided with depressed or U-shaped portions 23, in which the lower edges of the gates These depending portions or bends 2,3 are loosely connected to the upper ends of links 24 whose lower ends are in turn pivotally connected at 25 to the inner ends of the levers 17. The spring-treads at opposite sides of their centers and adjacent to their outer ends, which aresecurely bolted as at 26 to the rails of the track, are given quartertwists as indicated at 27, forming flattened portions 28 to receive the Wheels of the train. The spring-treads, it will be seen are arched, and are designed to be depressed by the wheels ofthe train as the same pass thereover. The treads are connected by means of U-shaped vconnecting-bars or yokes 29 which extend under the rails so thatshould the mechanism of one gate become broken the tread at the opposite side of lthe track will be operated and will communicate its motion to the opposite tread, and thus cause a similar operation at each side of the track.

The operation of the gate is as follows:- A trainapproachin g in either direction causes a depression of the spring-treads, which forces the links 24 downward depressing the inner ends of the levers 17 and consequently elebuffers 10, between Whose lower ends and the Vvating the outer ends thereof.

This causes IOO the levers 17 upon the links 19 causing the- 1o gates to close automaticallyin rear of the receding train. From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple z and cheap railroad gate, which is positively and promptly actuated by the moving train approaching the same, and which will automatically close after the receding train.

Having described my invention, what I zo claim is- 1. The combination with a gate and its pivotal support, of the rails, the bowed springtread secured to a rail, the lever pivoted between its ends below the gate, and links pivotally connected to the ends of the lever, the upper end of the outer link being connected to the gate and that of the inner link to the g tread, substantially as specitled.

2. The combination with the rails ofthe op- 3o posite gates pivoted at their outer lower corners, the levers pivoted between their ends below the gates, the spring-treads secured to the rails above the inner ends of the levers, and the links pivotally connected to the ends of the levers, the upper ends of the inner links being connected to the treads and those of the outer links being pivotally connected to the gates, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the gate pivoted at one side of the track, the tread consisting of an arched resilient bar, secured at its ends to a rail and provided with a central, integral depending U-shaped bend, and a system of levers extending from the tread to the gate and connected with the depending bend, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the track, the opposite arched treads consisting of resilient bars secured to the rails and provided with central depending bends, the opposite posts, the gates pivoted to the lower outer corners of the posts, connections between the bends of the treads and the gates, whereby a depression of the former will cause an oscillation of the latter, and the yoke bars 29 passing under the track and connecting the treads, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIE DAWSON CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

A. S. HARRELL, J. W. HORTMAN. 

